Car coupler



Aug. 29, 1939. A. J. BAZELEY CAR COUPLER Filed March 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Arthur J. Bazeiey.

#7 ATTORNEY.

Aug. 29, 1939. AQJ. BAZELEY 2,170,891

CAR COUPLER Filed March 28, 1936 4 sheets-sheet 2 will)? INVENTOR. [2 3. Arthur-[Bucky- ATTORNEY.

CAR COUPLER Filed uamh-z, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet s,

.8. INVENTO. E .7 Arthur lauds.

ATTOR EY.

Aug. 29, 1939. I I E Y 2,170,891

CAR COUPLER Filed March 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Arm J. Bazeley.

BY- i ATTORNEY.

Patented Au 29, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAB COUPLER Application March 28, 1936, Serial No. 71,414

19 Claims.

This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly a. coupler of the bottom operative type in which a rotor lever is pivoted to the bottom of the coupler and operatively connected to the look by means of a link.

One object of my invention is the provision of means for operating the knuckle thrower, which means are pivoted on the guard arm side of the lock, whereby the contact between the knuckle thrower and the thrower operating means is positioned a maximum distance from the pivot point of the knuckle thrower. In addition, I provide means for supporting and guiding the knuckle thrower during its movements so as to assure an adequate lockset as well as smoother and more positive operation of the knuckle thrower.

A still further object of my invention comprises anti-creep means between the lock. and

coupler head to limit undesired upward move ment of the lock. My invention also contemplates means for positively disengaging the anticreep in all looked positions of the look, even though the anti-creep shoulder on the lock is in contact with the anti-creep lug on the coupler.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part apparent and part described in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a car coupler embodying my invention showing the parts in locked position.

Figure 2 is a transverse section through the coupler taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the knuckle omitted.

Figure 3 is a partial view similar to Fig. 1 showing the anti-creep disengaged.

Figure 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 with the lock in lockset position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the position of the parts at the beginning of knuckle throw and with a section of the knuckle thrower taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 9.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 at the end of knuckle throw.

Figure '7 is similar to Fig. 3 and shows the lock in engagement with the anti-creep lug.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the lock disengaged from the anti-creep.

Figure 9 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 1.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of my invention, and

Figure 11 is a partial view similar to Fig. 10 with the anti-creep disengaged.

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View showing a modification.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a coupler having the usual pivoted knuckle I, a vertically movable lock 2, and a knuckle thrower 3. The leg 4 of the lock normally extends downwardly into an opening 5 in the bottom of the coupler. At its lower end the lock leg is made narrower to form a downwardly extending projection 6 on the knuckle side of the lock. The rear side of the lock adjacent the projection 6 is formed with a seat 7 which is adapted to rest on the knuckle thrower when the lock is in lockset position. Extending laterally from the lower end of the lock is a trunnion 8 adapted to enter a slot Q in the lifter link ID. This link is formed with an enlarged upper portion H substantially filling the opening 5 in a longitudinal direction.

The rear surface l2 of the head portion may preferably engage the rear wall E3 of opening 5 and some clearance, as shown at M, may be provided between the forward surface E5 of the link and the front wall It of the opening 5. The link may be made narrower at its lower portion and is provided with a laterally offset arm ll. Between the arm I! and the lower end it of the link there is received one end i9 of a rotor lifter lever 20. The link and lever may be pivotally connected as by a rivet The other end of lever 20 is formed with a hook-portion 2%, which is pivoted on a trunnion 22 integral with the coupler.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the usual uncoupling rod and bail type of operating mechanism for the coupler, although it is obvious that other types can be used if desired. In the form illustrated, the lever 26 is provided intermediate its ends with an opening 23 for receiving the hooked end 24 of the element 25.

The opposite end of element 25 is formed with an elongated slot 26 for receiving a bail 27. The bail is operated from the side of the car by means of the usual uncoupling rod 28.

In order to limit creeping of the lock upwardly to such an extent as would unlock the knuckle, I provide 2. lug 29 extending into the forward part of opening 5. At the lower endof the portion 6 of the lock is a forwardly extending foot 30 normally underlying the projection 29. It will be clearly seen from Fig. 1 that with the upper portion H of the link l0 substantially filling the opening 5 in a longitudinal direction and the slot and projection engagement between the lock and link, the lock cannot move rearwardly a sufiicient amount to withdraw the foot from beneath the anti-creep lug. However, upon operation of the uncoupling rod, the lever 20 moves upwardly causing the lower surface of slot 9 in the link element to engage the trunnion 8 and act as a cam to withdraw the lower end of the lock and hence the foot 3!) from beneath the. anti-creep lug. The link it] during this operation may slide forwardly until its surface l5 engages the forward wall it. However, as soon as the lower end M of slot 9 engages the trunnion 8 further movement will cause the toggle between the lock, link and rotor lever to break rearwardly so that the link ill will engage the rear wall l3 of the opening, as shown in Fig. 3.

Further movement of' the parts upwardly will cause the lock to be placed in lockset position, as shown in Fig. 4, at which time the seat i rests upon the end 32 of the knuckle thrower. In Fig. 2 there is shown a transverse vertical section through the coupler head with the parts in locked position. It will be noted from Figs. 2 and 9 that the coupler is provided with a curved recess 33 for receiving the extension 3:1 of the knuckle thrower. Normally, the thrower rests on the bottom of this recess so that when the lock is in lockset position its weight resting on the thrower will not cause the latter to tip. In previous constructions this tipping of the thrower provided only a small area of contact between the lock and thrower on the knuckle side of the lock. By my improved construction a lockset engagement between the lock and thrower is obtained throughout the lateral extent of the lockset seat on the lock. Furthermore, there has at times been. a tendency, when the lock is raised, for the knuckle thrower to move upwardly because of the frictional engagement between the thrower and the rear of the look. This sometimes caused the thrower to be lifted until its trunnion 35 was raised partially out of the trunnion opening in the coupler head. It is apparent that a proper lockset cannot be obtained with the thrower thus raised. In addition, it would seriously interfere with the knuckle throwing operation. It will be appreciated that by providing the projection and recess engagement between the end of the knuckle thrower and coupler there can be no substantial upward movement of the knuckle thrower such as would lead to the above described diiliculties.

In Fig. 5 the parts have been moved upwardly until the pivot 36 of the lock has engaged the ledge 3! in the forward part of the coupler. At this time the rear surface l2 of the link is in engagement with the knuckle thrower. In Fig. 6 the parts are shown at the end of the knuckle throw and it will be noted that the pivot 36 is no longer in engagement with the ledge 31 but instead the forward upper surface 38 of the lock has engaged the upper wall 39 of the coupler, and forms a pivot for the lock during the latter portion of knuckle throw. This transfer of pivot points takes place between the beginning and end of knuckle throw. By the use of the two pivot points I provide means for decreasing the amount of slip between the link ill and the knuckle thrower. If all of the pivotal movement of the lock were obtained about pivot 36, the lock leg and consequently the link I would have had to move a greater distance upwardly in order to obtain the same amount of movement of the knuckle thrower. It is, of course, desirable to limit the relative movement between the link and thrower as much as possible, since the less the friction between these parts the greater will be the amount of work available for throwing the knuckle. After the knuckle is closed, the lock, link and rotor lever will, of course, assume their normal positions in the usual manner.

In Fig. 7 the lock is shown moved upwardly in engagement with the anti-creep ledge. This condition may occur in service due to relative movement between the lock and knuckle tail. In this view the rotor lever 20 and the link In have been moved upwardly until the surface l on the link is in engagement with a cam surface 40 adjacent the anti-creep lug. Further movement of the link IE upwardly by operation of uncoupling rod 28, will cause the engagement between the slot 9 and trunnion 8 to force the lower end of the lock leg rearwardly to disengage the anticreep. At the same time the link will be moved rearwardly by the cam surface MI. The total movement of the lock leg rearwardly due to action of the cam surface 40 on the link and the trunnion and slot engagement between the link and lock will be suiiicient to move the foot 30 from beneath the anti-creep ledge, as shown in Fig. 8. Link lil may also engage surface 40 when the lock is in a lower position than is shown in Fig. 7. This will occur if for any reason the toggle between the lock and link does not readily break to the rear and will result in link Ill moving upwardly during operation of the uncoupling rod, until it engages forward wall H5 or surface 40, after which the lock will be withdrawn from beneath lug 29 in the same manner as previously described. If desired, the cam surface 40 can be omitted and the slot 9 made longer, as shown in Fig. 12, so that the same amount of rearward movement of the lock can be obtained by the camming action of the slot and trunnion alone.

In Figs. and 11 I have shown a slight modification of my invention in which the link ll is provided with a downwardly and rearwardly extending projection 42 lying beneath a surface $3 on the coupler. The lock is provided with a trunnion 36 extending into a slot 44 in link 4| similar to the slot and trunnion engagement shown in the preferred form except it will be noted that the trunnion 36 is located adjacent the rear surface of the lock. The engagement between projection 42 and surface 43 forms an anticreep to limit upward movement of the look. In order to preclude undesired disengagement of the anti-creep, the slot 44 is provided with an inward projection 45 partially surrounding the trunnion 46. Since the leg of the lock in the modification is shown in engagement with the forward wall of the opening in the coupler, it will be seen that forward movement of link 4| is normally prevented. However, when it is desired to lift the lock, the rotor lever 20 will move the link first upwardly to remove projection 45 from behind the trunnion 46 and then forwardly and upwardly so that the trunnion 46 on the lock lies in the lower end of the slot, as shown in Fig. 11. In this position, it will be seen that the link has been withdrawn from beneath the surface 43. Further movement of the parts upwardly will cause the lock to be placed in lockset position, or, if desired, the knuckle can be thrown in the same manner as described in connection with the preferred form of the invention.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and de- 7 scribed or portions thereof, but recognize that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a car coupler, a vertically movable lock having a downwardly extending leg, a rotor lift lever pivotally mounted on said coupler to the rear of said look, a link connecting said lever and the leg of said lock, disengageable anti-creep means comprising a projection on said leg underlying a stop on said head and means normally preventing disengagement of said anti-creep means.

2. In a car coupler, a vertically movable lock having a downwardly extending leg, a rotor lift lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said coupler to the rear of said look, a link connecting said lever and the leg of said lock, said connection between said link and leg being adapted .to prevent rearward movement of said leg relative to said link when said lock is in locked position, anti-creep means comprising a projection on said lock underlying a stop on said head and means limiting rearward movement of said link when said parts are in locked position.

3. In a car coupler, a lock having a leg extending downwardly into an opening in said coupler, a lever pivoted on said coupler to the rear of said opening, a link connecting said lever and. look, a lug on said coupler extending into said opening and adapted to cooperate with a portion of said lock to limit upward movement thereof, said link having an upper portion substantially filling said opening in a direction longitudinally of said coupler.

4. In a car coupler, a lock having a leg extending downwardly into an opening in said coupler, a lever pivoted on said coupler to the rear of said opening, a link connecting said lever and look, a lug on said coupler extending into said opening and adapted to cooperate with a portion of said lock to limit upward movement thereof, said link having an upper portion substantially filling said opening in a direction longitudinally of said coupler, said connection comprising cammirig means for efiecting withdrawal of said look from beneath said lug.

5. In a car coupler, a look, a lever pivoted on said coupler, a link pivotally connected at one end to said lever and extending upwardly adjacent said lock and being formed at its upper end with a forwardly and upwardly extending slot, said lock having a projection extending into said slot, said slot and projection engagement being adapted upon upward movement of said lever, to lift said lock to unlocked position, anti-creep means between said lock and coupler, and means including said slot and projection for effecting disengagement of said anti-creep means.

6. In a car coupler, a knuckle and a lock, a knuckle thrower pivoted for movement in a horizontal plane, lock operating means pivoted to the knuckle thrown position after vertical movement of said lock to unlocked position.

8. In a car coupler, a knuckle and a look, a knuckle thrower pivoted intermediate its: ends and adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane, lock operating means pivoted to said coupler for rotation in a vertical plane, an element operatively connecting said lock operating means and lock, said element being adapted to engage an end of said knuckle thrower and move the same to knuckle thrown position.

9. In a car coupler, a knuckle and a lock ele-- ment, a knuckle thrower, lock operating means pivoted to said coupler below said look, a lifter element connecting the bottom of said lock element and said means and adapted to engage said knuckle thrower and move the same to knuckle thrown position and means on one of said elements adapted to engage said coupler to limit upward movement of said look when the latter is in locked position.

10. In a car coupler including a knuckle and a look, a rotor lift lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said coupler tothe rear of said look, a slotted link connecting said lever and the bottom of said lock, said lock having a projection extending into the slot in said link, said link underlying. a portion of said coupler to form an anti-creep and means limiting longitudinal movement of said lock and link when in locked position.

11. In a car coupler including a knuckle and a knuckle thrower, a lock for said knuckle adapted to move vertically and swing rearwardly,

means including said lock for actuating said.

thrower to open said knuckle, said; coupler having a plurality of pivot points for said; lock and said lock being adapted to successively engage said points during throwing of said knuckle.

12. In a car coupler including a knuckle and a knuckle thrower, a lock adapted to pivot upon opening of said knuckle, lock operating means pivoted on said coupler and a. link connecting said operating means and lock, means comprising said link and lock for actuating said thrower to open said knuckle, said coupler and lock being so constructed and arranged that during throwing of said knuckle said lock is successively pivoted about spaced points on said coupler.

13. In a car coupler including a knuckle and a lock element, a. rotor lift lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said coupler to the rear of said lock, a slotted link element connecting said lever and lock, said lock having aprojection extending into the slot in said link, one of said elements having a portion underlying a portion of said coupler to the rear of said lock to form an anticreep and means limiting longitudinal movement of said lock and link when in locked position.

14. In a car coupler, a vertically movable lock element, a lever pivotally mounted on the bottom of said coupler to the rear of said look, a link element connected to said lever and having a forwardly and upwardly extending slot therein receiving a projection on the bottom of said lock, said slot and projection forming the sole connection between said link and lock, disengageable anti-creep means for said lock comprising a lug on said coupler engageable by a portion of one of said elements during vertical movement thereof, and means normally preventing disengagement of said anti-creep means. a

15. In a car coupler, a vertically movable lock element, a lever pivotally mounted on said coupler, a link element connected to said lever and having a forwardly and upwardly extending slot therein receiving" a projection on the bottom of said lock, disengageableanti-creep means for said lock comprising a lug on said coupler engageable by a portion of one of said elements during vertical movement thereof, and means normally preventing disengagement of said anti-creep means, the last mentioned means comprising a portion of the other of said elements engageable with a portion of the coupler head.

16. In a car coupler, a knuckle and a vertically movable look, a knuckle thrower pivoted intermediate its ends for movement in a horizontal plane, one end of said thrower being engageable with said knuckle to open the same and the other end of said thrower being in slidable engagement with said lock during vertical movements thereof, and a recess in said coupler receiving a portion of said knuckle thrower at a distance from the pivot thereof for limiting upward vertical movement of said thrower and adapted to maintain said thrower in a horizontal plane.

1'7. In a car coupler having a pivoted knuckle, a lock element for said knuckle adapted to move vertically and swing longitudinally of the coupler said portion and, when said parts are in locked position, substantially filling said opening longitudinally of the coupler tothe rear of said lock, and means on one of said elements adapted to engage a portion of said coupler to limit upward movement of said lock element, the other of said elements being adapted to engage an adjacent wall of said opening to limit movement of said means from beneath said portion of the coupler.

18. In a car coupler, a knuckle, a vertically movable and rearwardly swingable lock, a knuckle thrower pivoted intermediate its ends for movement in a horizontal plane, means directing a rearward and upward force against said thrower for actuating the same, one end of said thrower being engageable with said knuckle to open the same and the other end of said thrower extending to the rear of said lock and adapted to be engaged by said means during said vertical and swinging movements, andmeans above said other end of said knuckle thrower to resist vertical movement thereof resulting from said upward force.

19. In a car coupler, a knuckle, a vertically movable and rearwardly swingable look, a knuckle thrower pivoted intermediate its ends for movement in a horizontal plane, means directing a rearward and upward force against said thrower for actuating the same, one end of said thrower being engageable with said knuckle to open the same and the other end of said thrower extending tothe rear of said lock and adapted to be engaged by said means during said vertical and swinging movements and means adjacent said other end of said knuckle thrower to limit upward movement thereof.

ARTHUR J. BAZELEY. 

